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| Herschel spacecraft inspection and final mirror cleaning |
| In the first few days following its arrival at CSG the Herschel spacecraft was unpacked and inspected. The first of a series of final preparations to ready the spacecraft for launch - the final cleaning of the primary and secondary mirror - was completed. |
| Date: 27 Feb 2009 |
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| Planck joins Herschel at the European Spaceport in Kourou |
| The Planck spacecraft has arrived at the launch site in Kourou, French Guiana, and is now in the S1B clean room ready for functional tests. |
| Date: 23 Feb 2009 |
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| Launch campaign for Planck is now underway |
| Following the conclusion of the Planck spacecraft test campaign the spacecraft has now been transported to Kourou in French Guiana, where it joins the Herschel spacecraft. In the coming weeks, the two spacecraft will be prepared for a combined launch, planned for 16 April 2009. |
| Date: 20 Feb 2009 |
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| Herschel arrives in French Guiana |
| The Herschel spacecraft arrived at Rochambeau airport, French Guiana, in the early hours of the morning of 12 February. The spacecraft and containers carrying support equipment were unloaded and subsequently transported to the launch site at Kourou by road. |
| Date: 14 Feb 2009 |
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| Herschel departs Europe - launch campaign underway |
| On the evening of 11 February 2009 the Herschel space observatory left Europe, departing from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol onboard an Antonov cargo airplane with destination Rochambeau airport in French Guiana. |
| Date: 13 Feb 2009 |
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| Herschel test campaign concludes - spacecraft ready for transport to Kourou |
This is the final entry in the Herschel Test Campaign journal series, which ran from August 2005 to February 2009. The journal covered the main activities during Herschel's extensive spacecraft and instrument test campaigns. It was followed by the Herschel Launch Campaign journal series, which ran from February 2009 until just before launch in May 2009 (see link in right-hand menu).
Following the completion of the environmental test campaign at the end of 2008 the Herschel spacecraft has undergone a number of routine functional tests. These were completed last week and the spacecraft is now being prepared for transport to the launch site at Kourou. |
| Date: 03 Feb 2009 |
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